Aedion and Aelin
by Feyregalathynius
Summary: Tog alternative happening short story. If Aelin was forced to leave later and ended up meeting Aedion. All characters and setting belongs to Sarah J. Maas. Spoilers of CoM and the start of HoF but not the rest of the books. Rated T because ToG. Duh.
1. Chapter 1

*Aedion PoV*

Aedion was pissed. The last thing he needed was the whining, spoilt prince to show him round the gardens he had walked many times, offering banal activities with which to entertain him. All he really needed to do was train, as he hadn't had the chance when he'd been travelling to Rifthold. Besides, the king's new champion was supposed to be _very_ good to look at. And a renowned assassin.

That settled it. He would go to the training area and test himself against the king's champion. Quietly, he began taking corners in such a way that it would lead him to the training ground.

"Maybe you would be interested in ..." he heard the prince whine as they rounded the corner into the spacious courtyard. "Or perhaps you want to train?"

The prince's courtly trained voice made Aedion want to bash him into smithereens, but that wasn't allowed. Instead, he settled for joining the current fighting competition. The rules were simple: the judge pulls pairs from names in a hat, the people in the pairs fight each other in first-blood duels, the winner's name goes back in the hat. Then it repeats. The last person standing wins the game. His name was pulled, and he went to fight the never-heard-of-before never-heard-of-again guard. As per usual, he won. And then he won again. And again. And again. Then -

"Last pair! Aedion Ashryver and the king's champion!" Perfect. It would be good to test himself for once.

Behind him, he saw some onlookers passing coin around.

Grinning, he sauntered up the steps to the main ring.

It faded when he saw who stood before him.

*Celeana PoV*

Celeana _hated_ these competitions. She really Gods-damned did. Especially considering that she should be on her way to Wendlyn by now, if not for that _stupid_ storm. But she couldn't have the men thinking she wouldn't participate because she was _scared,_ so she competed in them regardless. If only to show them she was the best. But when she heard the last pairing, she honestly considered running.

Aedion. The cousin she hadn't seen in ten years, duelling with her. What if she was recognised, what if...

 _No!_ She thought at herself angrily. _There's nothing to be done about it now. He's just another opponent. Maybe he won't even recognise me any more._ She pulled herself up into the ring with her twin stilettos, and almost laughed at the shocked look that crossed Aedion's face.

"Well? Are we just going to stand here all day? Or are we going to fight?"

*Aedion PoV*

Aedion's mind just wouldn't stop spinning.

Aelin Galathynius and the King of Adarlan's Champion, one and the same.

His cousin, lost for ten years, just a few meters in front of his face, her scent filling his nostrils as she _thoroughly_ sassed him. So Aelin.

His cousin, challenging him to a fight, her face covered in all manner of scars. By the muttering of the men around them, she was pretty good too.

If she thought he would go easy on her, she was wrong. He drawled,

"Well, I suppose the audience will get bored watching us all day, so why don't we get on with it."

Then they started fighting.

*Dorian PoV*

Dorian couldn't quite believe his eyes. Before him, Aedion and Celeana were fighting like he'd never seen anyone fight before. Duck, turn, swipe, retreat, all within the span of one second. They were panting hard, neither willing to give up. Probably trying to prove a point to the men. He chuckled and left them to it.

They could exhaust themselves all they want.

*Aedion PoV*

Aedion's body was screaming at him, "STOP! PLEASE! NOW!" thanks to his fight with Aelin. She was fast, and strong, and really knew what she was doing. However, his size gave him an advantage that he knew how to make use of, resulting in and even match. Suddenly, he found that Aelin was slicing from behind, and he couldn't move in time. He fell over, a small amount of blood trickling behind his thighs, and the judge called off the match.

Aelin leaned down to help him up, whispering in his ear,

"Palace roof, 11pm, above the clock tower courtyard."

Aedion rushed off to have lunch in his rooms. He really needed to sort out what was going on in private.


	2. Chapter 2

*Celeana PoV*

Celeana has sorted herself out, and had decided to let _him_ start the conversation.

Because she had no idea what to say.

She climbed up onto her roof from the bedroom window, and crept over to where she had asked to meet. All she hoped for now was that he showed up, and that she didn't disappoint him. And that he would still be the same friend she'd had all those years ago. He hadn't reported her to the King so - she could hope.

There.

A dark shadow hunched on the roof, breath panting out.

Aedion withdrew his hood and stalked forwards, and she stood to meet him.

She was praying that she didn't mess this up.

*Aedion PoV*

Every step was an eternity.

Because there she was. Aelin, proud and tall, stood before him. She looked almost as dazed as he felt.

"Well?" She asked, with the pure Aelin sass he remembered. "Let's here the story, then."

Aedion took a deep breath, and began.

He spoke of Therails, of his years in the Bane, of his fabricated body counts and of his cover-up reputation.

He spoke of winning back the sword of Ornyth, of dealing with the King, of all the years he had mourned her. And when he finished, she gave him a look that did not pity, but judged. Whatever she saw, it was enough that she opened her mouth, and told her own story.

She told of ending up with Arobynn Hamel - Arobynn Hamel, Gods be damned - of turning herself into Celeana, of working to survive in Rifthold. _Rifthold,_ the city he'd visited too many times to count, and she'd been inside the city limits the whole time.

She told him about Skull's Bay, and the slaves. She told him about the Red Desert, and Ansel.

She told him about Sam, and how she'd loved and lost him.

She told him about Endovier, and at that he came over and held her, in order to remind himself that she was here, and safe, and had gotten out.

She told him about the king's competition, about being his assassin, and how she hadn't killed a single one until Archer Finn.

She told him about Nehemia, and about Elena, about Wyrdkeys and books and gates.

Then she took a deep breath, and told him about Chaol, and of how it all ended.

Then she said, "Aedion, I leave for Wendlyn tomorrow. I was supposed to go last weeks, but there was a bad storm and the ship couldn't sail. I need answers, and the only person who can gives them to me is Maeve. So I'm going."

He couldn't suppress a rise of anger, to have her back only to lose her again. But - at least he knew she was alive. That was something. "If ... if that's what you need to do, then do it." He stammered. "Just - come back safe, ok?"

She smiled, and they held each other under the stars, content in the knowledge that they were both safe. But he might have imagined it, but he thought her attention was eastward, towards Wendlyn. And all that waited for her there.


	3. Side note

Hi, I feel really bad telling you this, but this was only meant to be a oneshot that didn't really fit im one chapter. Lots of people seem to like this story but I never really had a plan for a continued plot, so I'm not actually writing any more

I'm very, very sorry.


End file.
